A MAN who turned his Lexus into an unmarked police car with blue flashing lights pulled over a lone woman motorist who had annoyed him.

James Wesson, aged 23, was convicted of impersonating a police officer by Birmingham Magistrates and jailed for six months.

He was caught after his terrified victim contacted the real police with his license number.

The court was told how driver Faye Edwards pulled over after seemingly being pulled over by a genuine plainclothes police car with flashing blue lights.

Prosecuting David Parsons said Wesson then went over to her claiming that he and his father Peter were undercover officers.

But the victim became suspicious and after recording the registration number of the Lexus and reported the incident to genuine police officers shortly afterwards.

The court heard that Wesson had been on a four month suspended sentence when he committed the offence and had six previous convictions for driving while disqualified.

Wesson, of Hodge Hill Road, Hodge Hill, had denied the charge but was found guilty of impersonating a police officer and jailed for a further two months.

Miss Edwards told the court she had been at the wheel of her Seat Ibiza on the evening of February 16 this year and had been driving down Chester Road, Erdington.

She said that a Lexus pulled in front of her at a roundabout and she beeped her horn at it.

Miss Edwards said she saw blue flashing lights which were two oblong shapes in the front grille of the car.

She continued “It didn’t seem right while I hadn’t done anything wrong for the so-called police to need to pull me over.

“I waited there. I locked my doors and opened my window just a little bit because obviously I was scared. I didn’t know what was going on. The passenger then got out of his car and came to my passenger window. He said: ‘We’re undercover police can you stop driving like that?’

“He was quite thuggish in a not a very nice way.”

Mr Parsons said Wesson had also said ‘We’re drugs police’.

He said Miss Edwards had asked for his badge and Wesson had told her it was in the car before returning to the Lexus.

Mr Parsons said that the Lexus had “all the paraphernalia of a police car” including blue flashing lights behind its grille.

Wesson said that his father Peter had been driving the Lexus and as they were going along the Chester road his father thought Miss Edwards may have collided with the back of the vehicle.

He said after both vehicles stopped he had gone over to Miss Edwards and said her driving was inappropriate and that they “could have been undercover police”.

In passing sentence Chairman of the bench Mr K Downes said “Impersonating a police officer is a very serious offence, on this occasion aggravated by the injured party being a vulnerable person.”

Liz De Oliveira, for Wesson, said he was the carer for his father and feared his father may harm himself if he was sent to prison.

Acting Supt Richard Youds from Birmingham North local policing unit said: “Impersonating a police officer, however you do it or for whatever reason is a serious offence and we will take action against anyone doing so.

“After suspecting the male may not be a genuine officer the female driver acted in the ideal manner. She did not get out of her car and asked the man for identification.

“A short time later she alerted a patrolling officer and our investigation began.

“If you have any doubt about the person pulling you over remain in your vehicle and lock your doors. Ask for the officer’s identification and if you are still in doubt remain in the vehicle call 999.”